Baptism

Now retired, I am going through some new experiences as a pastor who served congregations dating back to the 70’s. That’s a long time ago! In particular, I remember and continue to miss the congregation I served the beginning of my ministry, the First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, Iowa. This is the church where our daughter Emily was baptized (April 12, 1981). I will always remember this day. Standing as a parent I was asked by the pastor the name of my child. I answered with confidence – “Susan”! Everyone started laughing. I couldn’t understand why everyone would laugh at such a sacred time. The pastor leaned in and asked: “Isn’t your daughter’s name Emily?” An Associate Pastor in that church, I’m glad I was standing with my daughter as a dad instead of pastor performing the baptism. “Susan” is our daughter’s middle name. I have no idea why my brain told me give the wrong name. I now wonder what kind of holy-mistakes my nerves would have caused me to make if I was actually doing the baptism of my own daughter? I will always remember this baptism!

Another church I that will always be close to my heart – the Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church in Saginaw, MI. I served this church as pastor from 1985 until my retirement in 2013. Through Facebook, I recently experienced the birthday of a member of this congregation who just turned 30. I will call him BJ. In looking at all the people wishing him a “Happy Birthday”, I realized with a smile on my face that this church continues to be BJ’s “family’. All the congregations I have been blessed to serve through the years of ministry are members of this family. And this is the truth: I remember your baptism!

Honestly? I remember BJ’s baptism because one of the cherished files I keep is a written log of all the baptisms I have performed throughout my ministry. I often find myself looking at this log of baptisms. I don’t remember the actual day this young man, as an infant, was sprinkled with sacred water with the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit”. I don’t remember what he was wearing or what I was preaching. I do, however, know he was baptized the same day another baby was baptized. I remember the parents of these children who continue to be active members of Christ’s family. By the way, BJ was baptized on September 20, 1987. He is still an active member of he Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church.

BJ and all those baptized on the chancel steps of the Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church and churches around the globe are members of the huge family named “Christian”. This 30 year old man, BJ, is now a police officer. I am sure proud of him and all of his accomplishments! I thank God for the opportunity to watch him grow as an active member and officer in the church I once served.

And my point? REMEMBER YOUR BAPTISM! Remember who it is who pronounced faith in Jesus Christ prior to your being sprinkled with sacred water–your parents. Remember who continues to hold you and protect you–God.

This Holy Week, remember who lived and died and rose from death to be our Lord and our Savior.

I’m glad I’ve gotten back to writing in this blog.

I’ve given my life to the church. I also know that this wouldn’t be possible without the support and encouragement of family! This is a first of many entries under the theme: Family and Church!

I thank my parents, Sanford and Helen Cundiff, for being parents who made sure church was part of my life. Born in 1951, my parents introduced me to the church through baptism on April 15, 1953. I was baptized in a small chapel by Dr. John M. Pattison at the First Presbyterian Church of Cheyenne, Wyoming. While born in Cheyenne, our family soon moved to Denver. I was only three or four years old. I had an older brother, David, and a younger sister, Susan.

It was in Aurora, Colorado where my parents introduced me to another Presbyterian Church—the First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, Colorado. I belonged to this church until I was ordained.

When we moved to Colorado we initially lived as a family of five at the Ranger Motel on Colfax in Aurora. My dad was busy helping to build our first Colorado home. That motel is still located on Colfax. I remember, in our downstairs room, the pay-television. If I recall, we had to put a dime or quarter in a small machine on top of this television order to get thirty minutes of programming. This was much like the machine that controlled a vibrator on the bed. 🙂

This motel was across the street and of block away from the First Presbyterian Church on Kingston Street.. As a family, we were active in this church. I have always been a Presbyterian! While we never really talked about it, this Presbyterian church was an anchor for our family. With my family and this church I discovered early in my life, to borrow from some creeds, “that I belong to God”. Church became for me, through this First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, a second home.

I attended Sunday School classes and youth fellowship. I sang in the youth choir. I remember, as a fifth grader, shooting a rubber band at my dad who was a Sunday school teacher. Everybody learned that he had quite the voice when it came to showing his temper. I may not remember the lessons taught in those Sunday school classes, but engrained in my heart was this sense that I belonged – and family church were the core of this belief.

While we moved into different houses that my dad helped to build, this First Presbyterian Church remained my church home until I was ordained in 1977. I remember the long Saturday morning sessions in confirmation class – and learning and memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism—confirmed in the mid-60’s.

I was introduced to worship leadership with the Rev. CVR DeYoung. I would read scripture and sing an occasional solo with the choir. Oh yes, private music lessons and choir under the direction of Ken Graham were an important part of my life in belonging to the church.

Rev. DeYoung and Rev. Meanor, the Assistant pastor, were always giving me opportunities to help lead worship. This was unusual in the 60’s in Presbyterian Churches! Rev. DeYoung once took me to his office on a Sunday morning. Opening the closet door he pulled out a black and blue tie. He had me pick one. The paisley one I was wearing wasn’t appropriate for a worship leader. I learned many things in leading worship. For example, I must always sit with both feet flat on the floor in front of me. These pastoral mentors saw what my parents always knew – I was a wiggly, squirmy kid always on-the move. They also saw some potential in my becoming a leader in the church. They may have been wondering: “Would I become a pastor?”

From early in life, I learned that I belonged to God. I was greatly influenced to be open minded, if you will, a progressive thinker. I also learned to accept others from where they were in their faith journeys. These teachings came from both church and family. I had people around me, family and friends and mentors, who helped me recognize a “calling” to be an ordained pastor.

Now forty years after ordination I am turning 65. Thanks to my mom and dad for introducing me to the church through baptism. Thanks to the church for giving me a life-long sense that I belonged to God. In retirement, I now have time to write about this journey – and what better place to write than in this blog. There will be more to come!